On The Job
JULY 21, 2008
Before I get into discussing the issue of whether you can -- or should -- go over your boss's head, I'd like to share a little story with you. Once upon a time there was a young woman named Letitia Hood. Because her hair was a vibrant auburn color, and she was a bit vertically challenged, she was known in her office as Little Red Riding Hood -- or "Red" for short.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 30, 2008
As a secretary I typed letters, answered the phone and did the filing. As an administrative assistant I manage my boss's practice so he can do his job. I draft letters, schedule his time, set reminders for deadlines, bring forward items, make travel arrangements, make some business decisions, arrange conferences, manage client relations and some bookkeeping.
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Denise Aday
JULY 29, 2008
I had a wonderful phone conversation with a prospective client today. Unfortunately, even though we seemed such a good fit otherwise, I may not be able to work with him due to an after hours access issue. As an entrepreneur, I often work many – and odd – hours. As a small business owner and service provider to a number of clients however, I have set office hours M-F.
Professional Assistant Blog
JULY 22, 2008
Home About Me Advertise Outlook Rules That Rule By The Professional Assistant on Tuesday, July 22, 2008 Filed Under: MS-Outlook , Organize , Prioritize , Productivity E ditor’s note: This is a guest post by Patricia Robb of Laughing All The Way to Work: A Survival Blog for Todays Administrative Assistant. I have finally taken the time to create rules for my Inbox.
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On The Job
JULY 2, 2008
Anyone searching for a job knows the excitement of finally landing an interview. But just imagine how you would feel, after prepping for hours to make sure you're ready to answer questions about why you'd be great for the job, to have a hiring manager lean earnestly forward and ask: "If you could compare yourself with any animal, which would it be and why?
On The Job
JULY 31, 2008
Most new parents I know say that can't believe the hospital just let them walk out with their newborn child. The panic sets in as they realize there is no owner's manual to accompany such a momentous event in their lives. The same could be true of the workplace. Sure, some attend years and years of school, but nothing really prepares you for what the workplace is truly like.
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Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 29, 2008
Early in my career, I made travel arrangements for my boss and had him flying into New York City to one airport, but the meeting room and hotel were across town closer to another airport. I got a geography lesson when he got back. I remember helping with a conference at another place I worked and as we approached the day of the conference we noticed that the attendance was low.
On The Job
JULY 28, 2008
Recently, a friend told me about a party she attended called "Botox or Bangs." For those of you unaware of this trend (as I was), it means that when you get of a "certain age" you can either cut bangs to hide the wrinkles in your forehead, or you can get Botox to freeze your forehead so it doesn't move for months and it looks unlined. My friend opted for the bangs -- and the Botox.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 27, 2008
I am starting a new job tomorrow and with every new job there comes the new words, phrases and the dreaded acronyms. We get used to some things and start referring to them by our pet names. We don't even notice it, because we all know what we are talking about – except of course the new person. When they are on the scene you start to realize your office talk is not as easy to understand as you thought.
On The Job
JULY 25, 2008
Note: I wrote this post last September, and wanted to re-post it as a tribute to Randy Pausch, whose death was just announced. For those of you who haven’t seen Randy Pausch’s final lecture to his students at Carnegie Mellon University, I urge you to take some time and watch it. In the lecture, Pausch , who is dying of pancreatic cancer at age 46, speaks of all the things he wanted to do in his life, and all the things he has managed to accomplish.
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On The Job
JULY 23, 2008
You can't exactly put your finger on it, but somehow your job has started sucking the life force out of you. Every day you feel a little more depressed , a little more like maybe you should just call in sick and sit home and watch "Cash Cab." Still, the thought of looking for another job is even more depressing. There's the business of writing the resume.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 23, 2008
A good question to ask your office manager or HR person would be, “Is there a budget for the administrative staff?” Here are some things that I have often wondered about, but was always afraid to ask: Is there a budget for education for the administrative staff? Some organizations have this in the employee benefit package. At some places I've worked I was able to take work-related courses up to $500 a year as part of my work benefits.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 22, 2008
Some people say it is who you know that gets you the job. Networking and knowing lots of people is a good thing, but I think the reason some people know so many people and have good connections is because they have a good reputation and people think highly of them. The two work together. Having a good working reputation is important. You will be the first person that comes to mind when an employer is looking to fill a position.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 20, 2008
I have finally taken the time to create rules for my Inbox. It was getting out of control. I knew the rules option existed, but I never took the time to check it out. What I discovered is a time saver and e-mail management tool that is a best-kept secret. Sometimes taking the time is the biggest hurdle, but this one is well worth the effort. I have written previously that to manage my work e-mail better I asked friends and family to send e-mails to my home rather than work.
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On The Job
JULY 18, 2008
It's Friday. TGIF, right? You've put in some long hours, dedicated yourself to the job and figured out a way to whittle your lunch tab down to $1.25 (ketchup put into hot water makes tomato soup, right?). I know you're stressed. That's why I'm here to tell you that it's really OK if you: 1. See that when you're the only one getting on the elevator with the top boss you suddenly say: "Oops!
On The Job
JULY 17, 2008
While we spend a lot of time these days using electronic communication, we can never forget the importance of that face-to-face communication that is so critical to our success. People make a snap judgement about you the minute you meet them. They check out what you're wearing, how your hair looks, if you smell good (or at least, not bad) and then they wait for you to open your mouth.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 17, 2008
Marsha Johnson will be walking in a 3-day event in Tampa, Florida in October 2008 to raise money for a cure for breast cancer in memory of her friend, Cindy Craig, who died of breast cancer. She is going to walk 20 miles each day for a total of 60 miles. If you are interested in reading about it or sponsoring her, click here. All the best Marsha! Tags: professional assistant Marsha Johnson kudos Administrative Assistant.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 17, 2008
Does this sound familiar? I find as an AA that my day is not mine to control. My boss e-mails me or phones me to do this or that so I have to pay attention to the pings that let me know I have another message in my Inbox. I need to check my voicemail when I see the red light is flashing on my phone. An AA does not have as much say about planning their day.
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Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 15, 2008
One of my co-workers told me that I was already using "we" and "us" when referring to my new employer. I am physically still in my current job, but my mind is already on my new one. How do you keep focussed on your current job when you know you are leaving? Sometimes it has been hard. My mind is already planning the next Board meeting and how I will organize my desk and the filing at the new place.
On The Job
JULY 14, 2008
As Barack Obama and John McCain try and decide who should be their vice-presidential running mate, let's take a look at what's so great about being No. 2. OK. Hmmmm. 1. You're not No. 3. 2. You usually get a good parking spot. 3. See reason No. 1. All right, all kidding aside, is it really so bad to be No. 2? Well, it can be kind of tough to proclaim that you're really proud to be second-in-command in this country.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 13, 2008
Someone asked me the other day what my salary was. I was taken aback. Then she proceeded to tell me how much she earned. I was even more surprised at that. What bothered me the most however was learning she was making more than I was for the same job. Years ago we were taught never to reveal our salary. We might be quite happy in our job until we learn someone else is making more money, then we suddenly are not so happy anymore.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 13, 2008
Here is a tip that someone from my office gave me for calculating time internationally. I am not a proficient enough blogger to know how to put these images in my post without you having to click to enlarge it, but I am learning. To set your clock to a different time zone in Word 2007, click on the time on your computer in the bottom right-hand of your screen.
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Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 11, 2008
This August will be my one-year anniversary of starting my blog. It is hard to believe it has been a year already. Over 250 articles later and here I am still blogging. What I have learned as a blogger Blogging about your career is an excellent way to present yourself to a potential employer. I would recommend putting your blogspot on your resume under "Accomplishments" with a brief description of what your blog is about.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 10, 2008
I recently found an excellent site for administrative professionals called OfficeArrow. It is written for office professionals, by office professionals and you can tell because the articles are very relevant to what we do every day. I have been browsing the site recently and discovering just how much there is on it. Today I found a section called Templates and Documents.
On The Job
JULY 9, 2008
If your boss walked up to you today and offered you a promotion, with quite a substantial pay raise, would you take it? "Well, duh," you might think. "Of course." Now let's say that your boss offers you more money, but you will also be required to relocate -- or work more hours or perhaps take on tasks you don't like. So, do you still take the promotion?
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 9, 2008
Organizing someone else’s calendar can be challenging. It involves communicating what you have scheduled, and in most cases without direct contact with the person you are scheduling appointments for. In other words, you will probably not be able to speak to the person, but you have to communicate to them in some way that you have updated their calendar.
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Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 8, 2008
I once worked for a little start-up company. It was a great experience as I got to try a lot of things I had never done before. I was the President’s secretary and in that role he delegated me to create and type up a job posting, which I advertised in the local newspaper. I conducted interviews and hired my first employee – the receptionist. I had to supervise her as well as run the office.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 7, 2008
If you are in a job and have come on as a junior, then you need to accept the role as student and learn as much as you can from the people around you who have been on the job for a long time. But when is it time to take control and venture out on your own? It is sometimes easy to stay in the student role because it is safe and if you have a strong mentor to live in their shadow, but that is not good for your career development.
On The Job
JULY 6, 2008
I once had a job where the boss was a toxic leader. You know the kind: arrogant, small-minded, belittling, etc. (In short, what Bob Sutton refers to as the "asshole boss.") But no matter how miserable she made my life, no matter how unhappy she made the lives of everyone in the office, I kept a smile on my face. "Good morning!" I would chirp at the beginning of every day to my co-workers.
Laughing all the Way to Work
JULY 6, 2008
It is important for management to know who is going to be away from the office, especially during the summer when everyone is planning vacation time. But it is also important for assistants to know who is in or you may find yourself being the only assistant in the office with six managers all scrambling and needing something done urgently. Keeping an up-to-date vacation calendar is important so these overlaps are anticipated and in some cases vacations have to be re-scheduled.
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